What was most helpful to your development as a writer, reader, and thinker? Why?
Having a variety of writings required helped broaden my horizons of writing. If we'd written one kind of essay over and over again it is true that we would improve our ability to write one kind of essay. Writing encompasses so much more than one form or one ideal. By writing many different essays we're able to discover what kind of writing we most enjoy and experience a sliver of the vast expanse of writing.
What can you do to continue/improve this development?
I can keep writing. It's like everything else in life, the more the you do it the better you get at it. Like violin or speed reading you improve by meaningful repetition. Luckily I have several writing projects lined up that will allow me to continue writing
What did you learn from the reading in this course? Which essay(s) did you enjoy the most? Why? What did it teach you about good writing?
The readings taught me that there is no one best way to write. Writing isn't about trying to appeal to everyone and doesn't always have to be about some deep deep dark truth. It can be about a light subject and still be philosophical.
Describe the writing process that you find most beneficial for you. Why does it work? How can it be improved?
I'm a firm believer in Anne Lamott's idea of “shitty first drafts” they're the best way for me to start to writing process which is the hardest step for me. After I get the first draft down it's just revision after revision after revision until it's done which is probably never.
How has the blog been beneficial to you as a writer and as a person? How? Why?
The blog has useful in the same way that the diversity of essays was useful. They were each another mini essay.
What was your favorite assignment of the semester? Why?
Personally I thought the portfolio was the best project. It was a nice book end to the semester. Taking the time to look back on and improve many of the writings I did throughout the term helped show me what parts of my writing had improved and the parts that hadn't.
What was your favorite part of class? Why?
I enjoyed the in class discussions. Everyone had their own opinions and the classroom environment was such that people didn't even hesitate to make that opinion known.
How is the final portfolio beneficial to you? How do you think differently about your writing because of it?
See above for benefits.
The portfolio helped me view my writings not as individual and singular pieces but as parts of a whole.
Why is submitting your work to a public audience (on the blog and to journals, etc.) beneficial?
It's the way the world works and getting used to jumping through the hoops in the submission process is good practice.
If you were to take this class again, what would you want to change and what would you want to keep?

What did you learn in this class that you will apply to other situations? How?
I think the writing process that I've been using for this class will be helpful in all my future writings.
What makes good writing? Why? Give examples. How can you contribute to that sphere of good writing?
Good writing can't be defined by one set of heuristics. There's good writing in all genres, sometimes that may only be a few paragraphs but there's good in all writing. The literary world has become so broad that a writer must find their niche and excel. I'm still looking for my niche so I'll have to get back on the specifics of what I'll be contributing.